Damian Green: 'brightest and best' immigrants given priority

Britain will give priority to the ''brightest and the best'' immigrants under
new plans to cut the number of foreigners settling in the UK, the
Immigration Minister has said.

6:33AM GMT 29 Jan 2012

Damian Green is this week expected to outline the principles behind the Government's new ''selective'' immigration policy that will give preferential treatment to investors, entrepreneurs and world-class artists, dancers, musicians and academics.

Under the planned reforms ''fewer but better'' immigrants will be allowed to settle in the UK, with those who lack the skills to ''help drive economic growth'' or contribute to UK culture facing greater scrutiny.

Mr Green told The Sunday Times: ''What we need is a system that ... goes out to seek those people who are either going to create jobs or wealth or add to the high-level artistic and cultural aspirations we have.

''Getting the number down is the absolute key but what I am aiming at is fewer and better.''

The Conservative MP said those wishing to live in Britain will have to show ''genuine serious usefulness to British society'' and prove they are not totally dependent on benefits.